Assembly making progress on trash
I'm thrilled with the waste management progress being made by the Juneau Assembly as indicated in Thursday's Juneau Empire. Everyone I know has been concerned about the nasty garbage heap growing in Lemon Creek. The coming improvements are indeed welcome news.

Republicans should step back from fringe
The Oct. 23 Juneau Empire included a story about a Pew Research Center poll of 1,500 adults on global warming. The headline said, "Fewer believe in global warming."

Case closed on fugitive sex offender
The state of Alaska last week closed the case of a fugitive sex offender from a prominent California political family who was found dead this summer in Argentina after an international manhunt.

Forum to focus on Middle East
The Juneau World Affairs Council will hold their annual world affairs forum Monday and Tuesday, focusing this year on the Middle East. The event, which is open to the public, will run from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m. Monday and from 4:30 to 10:30 p.m. Tuesday at the University of Alaska Southeast's Egan Library.

Juneau woman collects formal wear for troops
Juneau resident Char Boehm couldn't sleep one night, so she went to her computer to read the Juneau Empire. That's when she learned the Armed Services YMCA at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks was accepting donated gowns and accessories for military spouses to wear to banquets.

Turkeys, socks ... and the holidays
Three hundred and fifty turkeys, 200 pairs of socks - that's what the Glory Hole needs for the winter holidays this year. Thankfully, these needs have not gone unnoticed; numerous community members have pulled together to organize the shelter's sock and turkey drives.

4-H club to conduct horsemanship classes for children ages 6-10
JUNEAU - Thunder Mountain Riders 4-H Club will offer beginning horsemanship classes to children ages 6 to 10 on Nov. 14 and 15 at Swampy Acres indoor riding arena, 10400 Glacier Highway. Three sessions each day are 10 a.m. to noon, 1 to 3 p.m. or 3 to 5 p.m.

Shrine to host All Souls Day Liturgy
JUNEAU - The Shrine of St. Therese will host an All Souls Day Liturgy (Mass) at noon Monday, Nov. 2, in its chapel. All Catholic and non-Catholics are invited to attend.

Mendenhall Flying Lions to hold barbecue and auction
JUNEAU - The Mendenhall Flying Lions Club will be holding its 14th annual barbecue and auction starting at noon Saturday, Nov. 7, at G.W. Teals, in the Mendenhall Mall, to benefit the Juneau Chapter of the American Diabetes Association.

Sitka hosts Behavioral Health Academy on Nov. 2-6
SITKA - Alaska has a shortage of health care workers and some of the biggest needs are in behavioral health. In 2007, University of Alaska Associate Vice President of Health Karen Perdue, the former Alaska Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner, said Alaska had 1,033 behavioral health job openings, with a vacancy rate of 13.9 percent and a mean longest vacancy of 17.1 months. In rural Alaska, the vacancy rates and unmet service needs are higher.

Thanks to Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau volunteers
Each year, the Juneau Convention & Visitors Bureau volunteers extend a personal welcome to thousands of visitors. The volunteers graciously donate their time and enthusiasm to assisting visitors to the capital city. The JCVB staff and board of directors would like to say a special thank you to these volunteers for their contributions to the Juneau community.

Thanks for donating fish, time to Juneau Raptor Center
The Juneau Raptor Center again thanks DIPAC for this year's donation of fish for our eagles and other birds. This donation is extremely helpful to us in caring for all the birds that come to the Center. Many thanks to our friends at DIPAC.

Thanks for helping at 2009 Alaska Math Science Conference
The 2009 Alaska Math Science Conference was held Oct. 14 to 17 in Juneau. It was outstanding. More than 300 people from outside the city attended. The Juneau School District staff added another 400, so there were 700 in attendance. There were more than 180 break-out sessions, plus field trips and excellent keynote speakers.

Thanks to U.S. Coast Guard Juneau, AMHS captain and crew
Alaska Glacier Seafoods would like to express our deepest appreciation for the captain and crew of the Taku and USCG Sector Juneau for the rescue and quick response to a marine emergency that occurred on the night of Oct. 13. Their professionalism and training helped save the lives of the crew of the Alaskan Pride during a fire that occurred on board the vessel. Everyone at Alaska Glacier Seafoods thanks you.

Photos: Halloween happening
Minta Schwartz, dressed as a Siberian snow tiger, curls up in the arms of his mother Gretchen Ann Harrington, a witch, during Halloween activities Friday at Northern Light United Church.

Two dance groups host pre-Halloween Carnival
In a combined effort by the Xaadas Git' a láng (Children of the Haida) Dance Group and the Lda Kut Naax Sati' Yatx'i (All Nations' Children) Dance Group, more than 300 people attended Thursday's Halloween Carnival at the Tlingit & Haida Community Center.

An angel with fixed wings
Kodiak resident Madisyn Sickafoose is a typical 6-year old girl. She loves playing with Barbies, pretending to be a princess and playing with her younger brother. She's full of life, energy and always has a smile on her face.

Mark Brodersen
Longtime Juneau resident Mark Harold Brodersen died the afternoon of Oct. 25, 2009, in Juneau. He was 61.

Journalists deserve subsidies as well
President Obama, a self-declared "big newspaper junkie," fears he might be forced to go cold turkey. "I am concerned that if the direction of the news is all blogosphere, all opinions, with no serious fact-checking, no serious attempts to put stories in context, that what you will end up getting is people shouting at each other across the void but not a lot of mutual understanding," he said last month to newspaper editors who asked about the crisis that threatens their industry and journalism in general.

No one has sure fix for 'too big to fail' dilemma
In the ideal world of economics, firms that take excessive risks go bankrupt, their competitors pick up the pieces and the economy marches on. Some call it "creative destruction." In the real world, certain financial institutions are so big and so interconnected that their collapse - no matter how richly deserved - threatens plain old destructive destruction. Government steps in, with taxpayer money, to prevent that.

Obama administration should stop handling Iran with kid gloves
Iran's rejection last week of the Obama administration's proposal for a deal over uranium wasn't the end of nuclear negotiations with that nation. But it was a serious setback to diplomats who have been trying to solve the Iranian nuclear problem - and it raises doubts about whether the regime is even capable of striking a compromise with the outside world.

Black ice causes three-vehicle crash
JUNEAU - At about 7:15 a.m. Friday, a 1999 Ford Ranger lost control on black ice on Egan Drive, resulting in a three-vehicle collision with injuries near the Lemon Creek Bridge.

Names submitted for vacant House seat
ANCHORAGE - The Alaska Democratic Party has sent three names to Gov. Sean Parnell as suggested replacements for state Rep. Richard Foster of Nome who died earlier this month of a heart attack.

Capsized boat tied to governor's aide
JUNEAU - The Anchorage Daily News reported that a fishing boat which capsized near Unalaska Island, prompting a rescue of four fishermen, is owned by a company registered to an aide of Gov. Sean Parnell.

Kenai borough mayor grants hefty raises
KENAI - Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Dave Carey says his chief of staff and special assistant deserve the salaries that are more than 30 percent higher than their predecessors'.

Palin won't speak at Iowa group's event
DES MOINES - Former Gov. Sarah Palin won't headline a social conservative group's annual meeting next month in Des Moines, but the organization says she expressed interest in speaking before the group later.

Crimson Bear blitz
The Crimson Bears volleyball team fed off the energy of senior night at Juneau-Douglas High School as they grounded the Falcons in three games Saturday night.

Planners tackle Alaska's worst traffic bottleneck
ANCHORAGE - Road planners say they're looking at as many alternatives as possible as they try to solve the worst traffic bottleneck in Alaska - a section of Anchorage where two highways converge and turn into roads dotted with stoplights.